The present invention relates to a pump, preferably rotary vane pump or gear pump, in particular for delivering diesel fuel, with a pump housing and a pumping unit that is arranged in the pump housing and preferably driven for rotation via the drive shaft of a motor, with the pumping unit comprising an intake area.
Pumps of the described type, such as, for example rotary vane pumps, are already known from practice, for example, DE 198 57 560 A1.
Pumps of the type under discussion, are designed and constructed, for example, as rotary vane pumps or gear pumps. They are used for delivering a flowable medium, namely gaseous or liquid media. The pumping unit of the pump comprises a rotor, which in turn is driven via a pump shaft. In general, the pump shaft is coupled via a clutch with a drive shaft, such as a camshaft of a motor. Within the pump housing, the pump shaft is supported for rotation with the aid of bearings.
Pumps of the described type are used, among other things, for delivering diesel fuel in automobiles. Provided that air is in the system, i.e., for example, for a first-time operation, or after a tank is emptied, it will be imperative to prime the pump with the flow medium that is to be delivered, in this instance, diesel fuel, to realize a delivery in any event. To this end, it has until now been common to use separate hand pumps, which precede the actual pump. In the past, such a hand pump was accommodated in a separate housing, and was used to deliver the diesel fuel directly into the actual pump, which required a separate connection line.
However, the provision of a hand pump as realized in the past in combination with a pump used for delivering diesel fuel is problematic in practice, since as a separate component, the hand pump causes considerable expenses for assembly and maintenance. Additionally required connection lines and connections increase not only the assembly expense, but also the expense for material, and lead as a whole to a very substantial cost increase in comparison with merely providing the pump alone. Because of the stringent need for a hand pump, it has until now been necessary to accept this kind of expenditure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve and further develop a pump, preferably a rotary vane pump or gear pump, in particular for delivering diesel fuel in such a manner that, while accepting the need for a hand pump, it is possible to reduce expenses for assembly and material and, thus, the costs to quite a significant extent. Nonetheless, it is still necessary to ensure a reliable operation.